An intriguing idea on redevelopment

It remains unclear what will happen to local redevelopment agencies as California Gov. Jerry Brown continues to push for their elimination as part of his stalled budget. But if they survive, Councilwoman Marti Emerald has an intriguing idea for how to overhaul San Diego’s redevelopment mechanisms.

In a memo to her colleagues that will be discussed by the council’s ad hoc redevelopment committee Monday, Emerald proposes to turn all redevelopment responsibilities citywide over to the Centre City Development Corp., the municipally owned agency that now has purview only over downtown redevelopment. Under Emerald’s plan, CCDC would absorb the Southeastern Economic Development Corp., as well as the city’s redevelopment department, and would be renamed the San Diego Development Corp. She also proposed that the new agency give up responsibility for implementing state requirements for affordable housing within redevelopment areas, that those duties be taken over by the San Diego Housing Commission and that the percentage of redevelopment funds targeted for affordable housing be increased from 20 percent to 35 percent.

As Emerald noted, CCDC long ago proved its skill and efficiency at shepherding redevelopment projects. And, under her idea, greater focus on redeveloping areas outside downtown would surely follow.

We would like to hear the opposition arguments, particularly in regard to the affordable housing element of Emerald’s plan. But at first blush, we like what we hear.